Window shade roller with extensible gudgeon pin



Oct. 18, 1966 R. J. SMITH ETAL WINDOW SHADE ROLLER WITH EXTENSIBLEGUDGEON PIN Filed June 26, 1964 INVENTORS ROBERT .1. 5M/ TH Al. FRED a.s wuv y WA YNE M 1. OWE

ATTO NEYS United States Patent 3,279,529 WINDOW SHADE ROLLER WITHEXTENSIBLE GUDGEON PIN Robert J. Smith, 1008 Pickering St.; Alfred G.Gwin, 320 Albany Ave.; and Wayne M. Lowe, 500 Franklin St., all ofOgdensburg, N .Y.

Filed June 26, 1964, Ser. No. 378,236 2 Claims. (Cl. 160323)' fixedgudgeon pin assembly. By providing an extensibleretractable gudgeon pinassembly, it is possible to construct the rollers of various standardlengths such that the adjustment capability of theextensible-retractable gudgeon pin assemblies will accommodate forvariations of required length between the standard sizes and thus enablethe shade to be assembled between brackets having widely varyingspacings therebetween, all without requiring the cutting of the rollersand replacement of the gudgeon pin assemblies as set forth above.

It is of primary concern in connection with the present invention toprovide an extensible-retractable gudgeon pin assembly which ischaracterized by economy of construction and which is, in general, ofgreat simplicity while yet being of foolproof and effective nature.

More particularly, it is an object of this invention to provide agudgeon pin assembly as aforesaid wherein a bearing sleeve member mountsthe gudgeon pin for extension and retraction relative to the roller andwherein relatively simple end cap means is employed to retain thebearing sleeve properly in position relative to the roller.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from thedescription hereinbelow and the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view partially in section illustrating one end of a rolleremploying the principles of construction according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the assembly shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along theplane of section line 3-3 in FIG. 1 and showing the manner in which theretaining means is fixed to the roller; and

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along theplane of section line 44 in FIG. 1.

Referring more particularly at this time to FIG. 1, an end portion of awindow shade roller 10 is illustrated therein which, as can be seen, isprovided with an axially extending recess 12 projecting inwardly fromthe end face 14, the recess being blind, as shown, providing the innerend wall portion 16 substantially as is shown. Fitted within the recess12 is a bearing sleeve member 18 which is preferably formed of syntheticmaterial such as Teflon or the like and which is so positioned as toplace its end face 20 flush or substantially flush with the end face 14of the roller 10. The inner end 22 provides a shoulder effective as astop against which the head 24 of the gudgeon pin 28 is adapted toengage and thereby limit the amount of axial extension of the gudgeonpin 28 relative to the roller 10. In order to accommodate for thevarying widths between mounting brackets, one of which is indicated byreference character 30 in FIG. 1, the main body portion 32 of thegudgeon 28 is of sufficient length to accommodate for the desired rangeof adjustment of the assemblage. As is conventional, the gudgeon pin isprovided with a reduced end portion 34 for reception within theconventional opening in the outstanding leg of the bracket 30, as willbe well understood by those skilled in the art.

Disposed within the recess 12, and seated respectively against the endwall 16 of the recess and against the inner faceof the head 24 of thegudgeon pin 28, is a compression spring 36 which normally urges the head24 of the gudgeon pin 28 into contact with the inner face 22 of thebearing sleeve 18. Thus, when the assemblage is not in use, and thespring 36 is thus indirectly bearing against the sleeve 18, there willbe a tendency'to project or expel the sleeve from the end of the roller10. Although this expulsion of the bearing sleeve 18 can be overcome bysuch means as providing the sleeve 18 with a tight fit within'the recess12, or by other suitable means, such means in general tend to increasethe cost of manufacture of the device. For example, if the sleeve 18 isforcefully fitted within the recess 12, there will be a tendency to distort the bearing sleeve 18 which might cause binding on the main bodyportion 32 of the gudgeon pin 28. Thus, it is more economical, asidefrom the problem of expulsion, to provide the bearing sleeve 18 with arelatively light fit within the recess 12. According to this invention,such a relationship is made possible while still effectively andpositively preventing expulsion of the bearing sleeve 18 as aforesaid.

The manner in which the above is accomplished is by utilization of aretainer means indicated generally by the reference character 38 andwhich is in the form of a cup or cap member having a fiat bottom wallportion 40 bearing against the end face 14 of the roller and having acentral opening 42 clearing the main body portion 32 of the gudgeon pin28 but overlapping the end face 20 on the sleeve 18, substantially as isshown in FIG. 1. The retainer means 38 also includes a cylindrical sidewall 44 which embraces the peripheral end surface of the roller 10 andwhich is provided with a series of deformed portions 46, which areembedded within and project into the body of the roller 10 as is shownmost clearly in FIG. 3. Conveniently, these deformed portions 46 can beprovided for as by prick punching orthe like and forming, in any event,a positive and effective means for preventing withdrawal of the retainermeans 38 from the end of the roller 10, which prevents expulsion of thebearing sleeve 18 as aforesaid.

From the above, it will be readily apparent that the mechanism involvedis relatively simple and yet is wholly effective for the reason that thecomponent parts thereof accomplish multiple or compound functions foreffecting the desired end result. For example, it will be noted that thebearing sleeve 18 provides not only a means for slidably mounting thegudgeon pin 28, but also provides a stop 22 at its inner face while itsouter face 20 cooperates intimately with the retainer means 38 forpreventing expulsion of the bearing sleeve 18 as has been set forthhereinab ove.

It will also be noted that the bearing sleeve 18 is of an axial lengthsubstantially less than the axial extent of the recess 12. Specifically,the difference between the axial extent of the bearing sleeve 18 and therecess 12 is equal to the length of the compression spring 36 when inthe fully compressed position plus the desired amount of adjustmentwhich is required to be accommodated for by the extensible-retractablegudgeon pin 28. Thus, as aforesaid, although the component parts of theassemblage are of relatively simple construction, it will at once beappreciated that the elements thereof cooperate in eflicient and fullyefiective manner to accomplish the end desired results in the mosteconomical and satisfactory fashion.

It is to be understood that certain changes and modifications asillustrated and described may be made without departing from the spiritof the invention or the scope of the following claims;

We claim:

In a window shade assembly, in combination:

a cylindrical roller having an axial recess extending inwardly from oneend thereof,

bearing sleeve received in said recess, said bearing sleeve being ofsubstantially less axial extent than said recess and having its outerend substantially flush with the end face of said one end of the roller10 to thereby present an inwardlyfacing shoulder at its inner end whichis substantially spaced from the inner end of said recess,

a gudgeon pin having an elongate body portion slidably a compressionspring acting between said inner end of received in said bearing sleeveand having an enlarged head at its inner end for bearing against saidshoulder to limit axial displacement between said pin and said roller,

said recess and said head of the gudgeon pin,

and a bearing sleeve retainer for preventing expulsion ofsaid bearingsleeve from said roller, said retainer being of cup-like form having abottom wall engag- 2. The assembly .as definedin claim 1 wherein saidmeans comprises portions of said side wall embedded in the body of saidroller.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 12,524 3/1855Urann 16%326 X 294,316 2/1884 Graves et a1. 160-306 1,688,563 10/1928Tomlinson l60301 FOREIGN PATENTS 12,100 5/1903 Great, Britain.

:HARRISON R. MOSELEY,'Primary Examiner. P. M. CAUN, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A WINDOW SHADE ASSEMBLY, IN COMBINATION: A CYLINDRICAL ROLLERHAVING AN AXIAL RECESS EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM ONE END THEREOF, ABEARING SLEEVE RECEIVED IN SAID RECESS, SAID BEARING SLEEVE BEING OFSUBSTANTIALLY LESS AXIAL EXTENT THAN SAID RECESS AND HAVING ITS OUTEREND SUBSTANTIALLY FLUSH WITH THE END FACE OF SAID ONE END OF THE ROLLERTO THEREBY PRESENT AN INWARDLY FACING SHOULDER AT ITS INNER END WHICH ISSUBSTANIALLY SPACED FROM THE INNER END OF SAID RECESS, A GUDGEON PINHAVING AN ELONGATE BODY PORTION SLIDABLY RECEIVED IN SAID BEARING SLEEVEAND HAVING AN ENLARGED HEAD AT ITS INNER END FOR BEARING AGAINST SAIDSHOULDER TO LIMIT AXIAL DISPLACEMENT BETWEEN SAID PIN AND SAID ROLLER, ACOMPRESSION SPRING ACTING BETWEEN SAID INNER END OF SAID RECESS AND SAIDHEAD OF THE GUDGEON PIN, AND A BEARING SLEEVE RETAINER FOR PREVENTINGEXPULSION OF SAID BEARING SLEEVE FROM SAID ROLLER, SAID RETAINER BEINGOF CUP-LIKE FORM HAVING A BOTTOM WALL ENGAGING SAID END FACE OF THEROLLER AND PROVIDED WITH AN OPENING CLEARING SAID BODY PORTION OF THEGUDGEON PIN BUT OVERLAPPING SAID OUTER END OF THE BEARING SLEEVE, SAIDRETAINER ALSO HAVING A CYLINDRICAL SIDE WALL EMBRACING THE OUTER SURFACEOF SAID ONE END OF THE ROLLER, AND MEANS FIXING SAID SIDE WALL TO SAIDROLLER.